Tribal Football

Beto says he needs to "have haters" and "people criticising me" to perform for Everton

Zack Oaten
Beto says he needs to "have haters" and "people criticising me" to perform for Everton
Beto says he needs to "have haters" and "people criticising me" to perform for EvertonAction Plus
The Everton striker admits he struggled to adjust during his first season in England but says he needs the hate to improve and perform to the best of his ability.

The 26-year-old striker joined the club from Udinese for £25m last summer, having scored 10 goals for the Serie A side the previous season that attracted the attention of Everton

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Beto has had a tough his in first season in the Premier League but is positive about the hate he receives, explaining that it fuels him. 

"We need to understand one thing: football is simple," Beto told BBC Sport when asked whether criticism of him on social media is a motivation.” 

"We play football in our lives and they are working like eight- or 12-hour shifts and they come.” 

"Not everybody in this life is going to love you and not everybody in this life is going to hate you. In this sports life, for me, it's OK.” 

"Sometimes I like to read my comments when I played badly or missed chances. They will say “Beto is with missing chances”. But I like it because I say “OK, I will make this guy shut his mouth.” 

"I take it personal too. When I'm in training the next week or the next day, I remember it and I say 'No, this guy is not going to say this about me any more' and I keep going." 

The 6ft 4in striker says he has evidence of the abuse he has received over the years. 

"I have notes. I have screenshots from Facebook, YouTube - when they say something like I'm not good enough or something like that. 

"I say OK, I take a screenshot, I put it on my notes and I read it."